Craft Talk & Workshop @ Table Conversation, Davis Square
Every story is a diaspora story, and every diaspora story is speculative in nature. In this craft talk and workshop, open to all genres, I will discuss ideas and examples of diaspora narratives; diaspora writers' and readers' perspectives on diaspora stories, such as from authors like Ocean Vuong, Viet Thanh Nguyen, R.F. Kuang, and Ling Ma; and the importance of diaspora narratives in challenging the status quo in western storytelling methods. I will teach about how diaspora pushes against genre, concepts of truth and authenticity, and the confines of individuality and representation. Finally, I will show why diaspora stories are speculative, and what speculative diaspora narratives can open doors to.
Attendees will gain an appreciation for reading and writing diaspora stories and be able to spot and understand the presence of the speculative within them, while asking themselves questions such as: Do I consider myself to be a diaspora writer? What are the expectations that western storytelling presents for diaspora writers, and how do diaspora stories subvert them? What can be considered a diaspora, and what diasporas am I a part of? What stories that aren't normally considered diaspora stories, could be? How can I lean into the inherently speculative nature of diaspora?
We will explore the speculative diaspora form through writing prompts such as truth/lie ("speculative truth")/dream activities and a collective “round robin” storytelling exercise.